Midland Smooth Softshell TurtleApalone mutica

Size:
10 - 14 inches (along carapace)

Distribution:

Central and eastern portion of state. There are two species
of softshell turtle in Oklahoma, the spiny softshell, Apalone
spinifera, and the midland smooth softshell. Both species prefer
swift flowing rivers and tributaries with sand or gravel bottoms,
although they can often be found in lakes and reservoirs, and have
been known to venture into ponds. The smooth softshell, as its name
implies, lacks tiny bumps or spines at the front of the carapace,
the top portion of the shell. They can also be distinguished from
each other in that the smooth softshells have round nostrils and
the spiny softshells have fleshy, triangular lobes of skin in the
nostrils. The spiny softshells also tend to be slightly more vividly
patterned with round spots on their carapace, making them easier
to identify at a distance. Their diet consists of mostly live prey,
such as fish, frogs, crayfish, insects, and worms.

The softshell turtles do not have a hard external shell like
most other turtles. Instead, the hard part of the shell, actually
modified vertebrae, is smaller and covered with a leathery skin
and has a thick ring of cartilage surrounding the entire shell,
making the shell pliable. This gives the turtle superb maneuverability
in the water. In fact, the softshell turtles are the only turtles
in the US that are capable of swimming after and catching live healthy
fish. They bury themselves in shallow water where they can extend
their heads above the surface for air, and submerge again without
exposing their entire body.